20 Designs That Changed The Game: Nike Zoom Generation

The "20 Designs That Changed The Game" series moves along by highlighting LeBron James' first signature shoe. The Nike Zoom Generation was a landmark design and it needed to deliver. Lead designer Aaron Cooper was expected to create a pair of basketball shoes with cutting edge aesthetics, but most importantly, the the sneakers needed to be comfortable. In essence the Zoom Generation was built for a soldier. Many visual cues were borrowed from military field boots. LeBron's love for lions was what inspired the sole of the shoes. The exterior mirrored elements that would commonly be found on rugged combat vehicles. The entire package really captured Lebron's essence, but it still needed his approval. Done. [via Nike, Inc.]